Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today I spoke on the issue of housing programs for seniors in Tu Nedhe. I would like to follow up my statement with questions to the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell me if there is a plan in place to inspect and upgrade seniors’ homeownership units in Lutselk’e and Fort Resolution? Thank you.
The Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. Robert McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. All these programs are application based and we have decided that those that are applying for homeownership repairs, especially the seniors, we are willing to go to their units and do an inspection. That is all part of the application process. Also, if interpreters are required, we would be willing to provide interpreters so they’re understanding all the parts of the application and the information that is required. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, in his response to my first question, the Minister indicated that they would be conducting a door-to-door approach in the delivery of housing programs to seniors in Tu Nedhe. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, we will go to the units of those that express an interest in applying for one of the homeownership programs, especially the seniors. We will go to their units and do the inspection. That’s all part of the process, and also, as I mentioned to the Member earlier, we would be willing to provide translation so they’re understanding. So those that are interested in going through the application process would let our district office know and then they would make a point of making it to their units. Thank you.
Many of the elders have land lease and land tax arrears. Does the Housing Corporation have some sort of plan to work with the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs or even maybe the municipality, to deal with this issue and still be able to assist the elders with their housing issues? Is there a number in which, or an amount that can be provided to seniors if they have land lease issues, land lease arrears or tax arrears, for an example? Thank you.
Thank you. The land tax arrears and any arrears in general are always a detriment to those that are applying for assistance. It slows up the process. A lot of folks out there have been able to clear off their arrears, knowing that this would help their application for the housing programs. So it would be awfully difficult for us to get into giving out the programs, administering the programs with people carrying arrears. So we try and encourage all those that are applying, to take care of their land and tax arrears, especially, and any other arrears they may have because it would slow down their application process. Thank you.
Final supplementary, Mr. Beaulieu.
Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. This is a rather serious issue. In communities where we have access by winter road or access by barge, an issue such as land tax, mortgage arrears, lease arrears on the land or anything, holds up the process and it goes beyond the point where they’re able to send materials in to assist the elder. So can the Minister commit to me today that if these issues are something that can be set aside or can be dealt with in another light, that they could proceed with assisting the seniors? I don’t think seniors have huge arrears. If they could proceed with assisting the seniors and deal with any of these land tax, land lease arrears at a later date. Thank you.
Thank you. We’re always willing to do what we can to help seniors. I have to speak again on the arrears, the tax arrears. We do like to try to get those cleared up before we proceed. Our intake this year is going to be in August and September. So that will give us more time to have all these issues dealt with before the barges, and some of it may be because the municipal governments are not getting back to them quick enough or the band governments may not be giving them a letter quick enough. So all these issues we have to deal with, but we’re always open to doing whatever we can to make the process a little easier for seniors. Thank you.
The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
